The present embodiments relate to wireless communication systems and, more particularly, to uplink signaling of control information in a cooperative multipoint (CoMP) communication system.
Conventional cellular communication systems operate in a point-to-point single-cell transmission fashion where a user terminal or equipment (UE) is uniquely connected to and served by a single cellular base station (eNB or eNodeB) at a given time. An example of such a system is the 3GPP Long-Term Evolution (LTE Release-8). Advanced cellular systems are intended to further improve the data rate and performance by adopting multi-point-to-point or coordinated multi-point (CoMP) communication where multiple base stations can cooperatively design the downlink transmission to serve a UE at the same time. An example of such a system is the 3GPP LTE-Advanced system (Release-10 and beyond). This greatly improves received signal strength at the UE by transmitting the same signal to each UE from different base stations. This is particularly beneficial for cell edge UEs that observe strong interference from neighboring base stations. With CoMP, the interference from adjacent base stations becomes useful signals and, therefore, significantly improves reception quality. Hence, UEs in CoMP communication mode will get much better service if several nearby cells work in cooperation.
FIG. 1 shows an exemplary wireless telecommunications network 100. The illustrative telecommunications network includes base stations 101, 102, and 103, though in operation, a telecommunications network necessarily includes many more base stations. Each of base stations 101, 102, and 103 (eNB) is operable over corresponding coverage areas 104, 105, and 106. Each base station's coverage area is further divided into cells. In the illustrated network, each base station's coverage area is divided into three cells. A handset or other user equipment (UE) 109 is shown in cell A 108. Cell A 108 is within coverage area 104 of base station 101. Base station 101 transmits to and receives transmissions from UE 109. As UE 109 moves out of Cell A 108 into Cell B 107, UE 109 may be handed over to base station 102. Because UE 109 is synchronized with base station 101, UE 109 can employ non-synchronized random access to initiate a handover to base station 102. UE 109 can also employ non-synchronized random access to request allocation of uplink 111 time or frequency or code resources. If UE 109 has data ready for transmission, which may be traffic data, a measurements report, or a tracking area update, UE 109 can transmit a random access signal on uplink 111. The random access signal notifies base station 101 that UE 109 requires uplink resources to transmit the UE's data. Base station 101 responds by transmitting to UE 109 via downlink 110 a message containing the parameters of the resources allocated for the UE 109 uplink transmission along with possible timing error correction. After receiving the resource allocation and a possible timing advance message transmitted on downlink 110 by base station 101, UE 109 optionally adjusts its transmit timing and transmits the data on uplink 111 employing the allotted resources during the prescribed time interval. Base station 101 configures UE 109 for periodic uplink sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission. Base station 101 estimates uplink channel quality information (CQI) from the SRS transmission.
Uplink (UL) cooperative multipoint (CoMP) communication requires coordination between multiple network nodes to facilitate improved reception from a UE. This involves efficient resource utilization and avoidance of high inter-cell interference. In particular, heterogeneous deployments of small cells that are controlled by low power nodes such as pico eNBs and remote radio heads (RRHs) are deployed within a macro cell such as 108. In a coordinated multi-point (CoMP) wireless communication system, a UE receives signals from multiple base stations (eNB). These base stations may be macro eNB, pico eNB, femto eNB, or other suitable transmission points (TP). For each UE, a plurality of channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) resources is configured based on which the UE can measure the downlink channel state information. Each CSI-RS resource can be associated by the E-UTRAN with a base station, a remote radio head (RRH), or a distributed antenna. The UE subsequently transmits to an eNB by an OFDM frame using allocated physical resource blocks (PRBs) in the uplink (UL).
Referring now to FIG. 2, there is a diagram of a heterogeneous wireless communication system of the prior art. The system includes macro cells A and B separated by cell boundary 200. Cell A is controlled by macro eNB 202 and includes a pico cell 204 that is controlled by pico eNB 206. Cell B includes a pico cell 222 that is controlled by pico eNB 228 in communication 226 with pico UE 224. Pico eNB 206 serves UEs such as pico UE 208 within region 204. Pico eNB 206 communicates with pico UE 208 over data and control channels 210. Cell A also includes macro UE 214 which communicates directly with macro eNB 202 over data and control channels 218. The introduction of pico eNB 206 within macro cell A offers cell or area splitting gain due to the creation of additional cells within the same geographical area. Heterogeneous deployments can be further classified as either shared or unique physical cell identity (PCID) scenarios. Referring to FIG. 2, in the shared PCID scenario, both macro eNB 202 and pico eNB 206 share the same PCID. Therefore, DL transmission from both base stations to a UE can be made to appear a single transmission from a distributed antenna system. Alternatively, pico eNB 206 may have a different unique PCID from macro eNB 202. These two scenarios result in different interference environments.
Uplink reference signals from a UE to an eNB are used to estimate the uplink channel state information. These reference signals include control channel reference signals (RS), traffic channel demodulation reference signals (DMRS), and sounding reference signals (SRS). In LTE the control and traffic channels are known as the Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) and Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH), respectively. Orthogonality of a reference signal within a cell is maintained by using different cyclic shifts from a base sequence. Uplink reference signals within the communication system are typically modulated with a constant amplitude zero autocorrelation (CAZAC) sequence or pseudorandom noise (PN) sequence. Different base sequences, however, are not orthogonal and require good network planning to achieve low cross correlation between adjacent cells. Inter-cell interference is mitigated by interference randomization techniques such as cell-specific base sequence hopping and cyclic shift hopping patterns. Moreover, different problems arise depending on whether all cells within a CoMP communication system have a unique cell ID or share the same cell ID.
In a heterogeneous wireless communication system of prior art, inter-cell interference is significantly increased because of short inter-site or inter-point distances. For UL cell selection it is better, in terms of reducing UL interference, for the UE to select the cell with the lowest path loss. For example, macro UE 214 transmits uplink data and control and also receives downlink control information on wireless connection 218 with macro eNB 202. However, the communication link 212 between macro UE 214 and pico eNB 206 has a shorter path loss compared to communication link 218. Thus, macro UE 214 generates significant UL interference 212 to pico eNB 206 while trying to maintain acceptable link quality with macro eNB 202. When macro UE 214 is near a cell boundary 200, it may also generate significant interference 220 for pico eNB 228. For the shared PCID scenario, all eNBs within the macro cell effectively form a super-cell comprising a distributed antenna system by virtue of the single PCID. Therefore, there is little to no intra-cell interference since transmitted reference signals are cyclic shifts of the same base sequence. On the other hand, area splitting gain cannot be obtained to take advantage of multiple deployed eNBs in the same geographical area. For the unique PCID scenario, macro UE 214 may generate unacceptable UL interference to pico eNB 206. Conversely, pico eNB 206 degrades the DL reception of macro UE 214. Therefore, it is desirable for macro UE 214 to be configured to transmit to pico eNB 206 to reduce interference and also conserve battery life by lowering its UL transmit power. Therefore, it can be observed that there is a tradeoff between increasing network capacity and mitigating the resulting increase in inter-cell or inter-point interference.
While the preceding approaches provide steady improvements in wireless communications, the present inventors recognize that still further improvements in transmission of UL control information are possible. Accordingly, the preferred embodiments described below are directed toward this as well as improving upon the prior art.